Walk the Track
by Lidsworth
Summary: (AU.Where Asami and Takaba meet differently) A businessman submerged in a life of scandal and riches, incidentally sparks an awkward relationship with an "ill-fated" hospital patient who dreams of one day becoming a famous photographer, despite his uncertain end.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Firstly, you trolls need to stop trolling on other authors just because you don't like their stories. There's a difference between critique and flames, you idiots are flamming others. What you people did Kunoichi of the Moonlit Night wasn't critique, it wasn't helpful, it was just bullying! Stop being such cowards, log in and PM her if you don't like her stories, but don't flame her just because you don't like her story.

Also, I send my prayers to Ryuakilover, whose struggling with a death in her family.

I was inspired to write this a few days, when the weather in Texas finally decided to act right, and my friend and I walked our high school track for the first time in a long time. There's a kind of simplicity in just walking and talking to someone you haven't spoken to in ages, you start to learn things.

**Summary: ( Asami and Takaba meet differently) A businessmen submerged in a life of scandal and riches, incidentally sparks an awkward relationship with "ill-fated" hospital patient who dreams of one day becoming a famous photographer, despite his uncertain end. **

This _will _have a happy ending, I tell you, it will! So don't worry, be happy, and stick with me! I don't plan to make this incredibly long, five chapters at the max! So it'll be done pretty quickly (or at least I hope so).

Disclaimer: I do not own The Finder Series.

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While never entirely fond of winter itself, the restless photographer was eager to break from the familiar confines of his white-walled cubicle, and escape to the outside world, even if it meant being a little cold.

His escape had gone smoother than it had other times, and in all honesty, he concluded that the hospital staff had given him a "freeby" of sorts. Besides, what young man wouldn't go insane if they had been forced to live in hospital for the past thirteen years.

The details of his condition had been withheld from him at the dawn of his illness, and during this time he'd spent every waking moment of his life attempting to pry the information from his parent's lips.

He knew that at the time, he was young and afraid, and his parents reasoning for withholding such powerful_potentially fatal, was actually justified.

But now? He was twenty four, old enough to know the severity of his own disease.

Though the medication dulled the pain for the most part, he could feel a permanent stiffness about his body, and every so often menial tasks left him drained completely of his energy.

Throughout the years, he'd become considerably paler and thinner, and while minor body changes were to be expected due to this prolonged stay in the hospital, his deterioration was increasingly irregular and fast for the amount of time he'd spent in the ICU.

His weight fluctuated during the months, and took both an emotional and physical toll on him.

Sighing, he snapped a close-up shot at a frozen leaf.

Though the frost that draped Japan in ice had nearly disappeared, Takaba had managed to snag some shots of still frozen objects, and the warming weather enabled him to take shots of the ice nearly melting from the said objects.

Time, life and death all came together so perfectly after a frost, and Takaba felt these shots mirroring his own cruel life.

How much longer would the frost remain, how soon would it be until his body slowly and painfully melted away?

"Don't think like that, Akihito," he brightly reassured himself, as he lowered into a crouching position to get a better perspective of his target, "You're going to be a famous photographer one day! So work, work until you get better than everyone else!"

Selfish thoughts, yes, but considering his situation, he didn't care.

He had the right to be selfish, as he did not have much to be selfish about.

A cool breeze blew through the small playground he had escaped to, and tightly, he pulled the large white doctors coat around his thin form.

His doctors had become his second family, and weren't like those mindless goons that enjoyed chewing patients out of their money. With his own family and friends never around they had managed to fill the void.

Other patients were more like friends, he concluded. They came and went, some longer than others.

Some just died.

He sighed as his thoughts drifted, his absence would be noticed very soon. His doctor would be delivering him his medication in a matter of minutes, and while he wouldn't be there in time to receive his medicine, he would most defiantly arrive soon enough receive the raging of a proper scolding.

Holding his camera to his face one last time, he took a glamorous snapshot of the frozen playground before him.

The slides, swings and benches had small traces of ice about them. Ice ice cicles hung off the slide, and stuck to various braces and leaves on the trees standing tall in the background.

With the sun slowly peaking through the leaves, and shinning its wonderful glory on the park, Takaba reckoned this scene fancied that of a child's fairytale.

Serenity and peacefulness coexisted in this small oasis, not even the beeping cars, or noise of the bustling city could deter such beauty from this tiny haven.

Often times, Takaba wondered if Heaven looked like this.

Since he was practically going to go there in a matter of time (he learned to study the looks on various doctor's faces, when the death of a patient neared, their expressions tended to change drastically. Though their faces weren't completely grim, they were border-lining hopelessness), he liked to wonder what it would be like, what it would feel like.

And, in all honesty, if he were to die in some cruel way, he would not mind becoming a ghost and hanging around this playground for the rest of his immortal life.

This, technically, was his Heaven on Earth.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

Despite his urge to remain at the park slightly longer than he had originally intended to, the chill had finally gotten to his bones. On top of the original stiffness associated with his normal condition, the frost was doing nothing to ease his now ebbing pain.

How an artist suffered for his masterpiece...

Not only had his prolonged stay damaged his declining health, but he was certain that his doctors were in a frenzy, looking for their escaped patient.

He needed to get back before they raised hell looking for him, he needed to run.

A smirk graced his features as he swung his camera sash around his neck, and jumped into a sprinting position.

In seconds, he was off.

It was times like these when Takaba tended to forget his ailment completely.

He ran, jumped, climbed and soared, he soared through trees, through cars, on fences, on buildings_his alter ego took full control, and no longer did the will of his disease confine him.

Free running made him feel alive_It made him feel free.

Cold wind assaulted his pale face as he plowed off the sidewalk, and into the busy street. He didn't mind the tingling sensation too much, it felt slightly relaxing.

He was practically flying, flying higher and higher into the sky, darting to the street and running into impending traffic.

He'd dodged so many cars in his short life, that running past these vehicles just seconds before the street lights turned **green** had become second nature to him.

The beeping and cursing was to be expected always during his runs, and he'd actually grown to admire the attention. It felt nice to have someone other than his doctors, though he still loved them, to acknowledge him in such a different way.

It made him feel human.

In the midst of his adrenaline rush, he barely missed a blazing BMW that came flying down the street, ready to hit him in an instant. The side of the car gently brushed his borrowed doctors coat as the metal object flew past him at great speeds.

Had this not been his first near death experience, he would have most likely been scared...well...to death!

But such occurrences were normal to him, and he happily planned to go on about his running business.

However, the cars halting stop, and sudden reversal deterred any plans to continue with his happy-go-lucky activity.

In fact, that cars reversal was so fast, that the driver had managed to tap him with metal object itself, thus causing Takaba to fall over on the side walk.

"Hey, watch where-"

Before he could even begin to fuel his complaint, the window of the backseat rolled down slowly, revealing a very pissed_very good looking, young man, who glared at Takaba with dark gold eyes.

Takaba scooted back quickly as the man opened the car door, and began to step out.

For starters, he was rich. If the BMW hadn't said that, then his extravagant three pieced suit had.

Looking down at Takaba, the golden-eyed man blew a cloud of smoke towards his offender.

"Doctor, huh?" he inferred, taking in the white coat wrapped around the boy. However, his eyes found the camera that hung off of Takaba's neck, and his gaze turned into something nasty.

"Photographer?" he corrected, a hint of disdain in his voice, "I wish insects like you would stop snooping around other people's business, you brats just get in the way."

Despite the fact that Takaba knew nothing about this man, or what on Earth he was talking about, his rage ignited at his careless to insult others so quickly.

"I don't know who, or what you are, but you've got no right to talk to me like that! What gives you the nerve?!" standing up quickly, he glared at the man, "you shouldn't judge people without getting to actually know them! That's incredibly rude! Didn't your parents teach you manners?"  
Perhaps he stepped a little over the line with the parent comment, as his assualter's eyes pulsed ever-so -slightly, but the man should have seen it coming.

Golden Eyes removed the cigarette from his mouth, and tossed it to the side.

He scanned Takaba up and down, smirking at the fight that this young man had just displayed. In his life of power and control, hardly anyone had the courage to stand up to Asami so willingly, and so stupidly.

He leaned in close, near the side of the boy's face, just close enough so that his warm breath brushed the ear.

Takaba could smell the intoxicating scent of smoke and cologne.

"I could you now, kid. You don't know who you're messing with," his whispered, then slowly pulled a way, smirking wider at the state of shock those eyes were now displaying.

However, the look quickly molded into smug expression, and the young man's eyes darkened considerably, "I'm not afraid of death, old man," quickly, he lifted his leg in an attempt to strike down his offender, "It's second nature to me now!"

In mere seconds, the man's body guard had reversed the impending attack, thus, knocking Takaba to the ground once again.

Suddenly, the aspiring photographer realized that, yes, he may have messed with the wrong person, and yes, he was about to pay for his offense.

However, Takaba Akihito planned to live for just a bit longer, and no stuck-up rich man was going to rob him of his right to life.

Jumping up quickly to dodge a foot coming his way, he swung his leg into the gut of the bodyguard with glasses, and spun around in a quick attempt to escape.

However, he hadn't noticed the giant blond bear that had snuck up from behind him, and was now nearing him at dangerous speeds.

Quickly, he dodged the blond's arms as he made to grab him, and took off as fast as he could. He cast a quick glance back, smirking at the scene in the distance.

Glasses guy was on the ground, heaving for air, and the Bear was by his side, kneeling down to aid him. Smugly, he stuck his tongue out at the golden-eyed man who started it all, and hurriedly continued his exodus to the hospital.

As he ran, he cringed as he felt his finger ache at the slightest movement.

_Dammit_, he thought, realizing that he broke his pinkie finger. There was no way he could hide this from his doctors.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

"I didn't know someone like that had it in him," Asami spoke calmly, though his emotions blazed like a white hot inferno within him.

The obnoxious attitude, the rage within the boy's eyes, his authoritative tone, his exotic looks_It all aroused Asami, burned him from the inside.

He craved the photographer for his defiance, he wanted such a soul to himself.

He wanted him, he _needed _him...and he would have him.

Sighing, he stepped into the car as his subordinated regained themselves out on the pavement.

He tried to offer his help, but they had assured him they were fine.

His mind drifted to the energetic youth.

A liability such as that brat had no business entering his life...no matter how entertaining he was.

Asami had things to do and deals to make, even if souly for pleasure, this boy could be the end of him...but this was a one in a lifetime chance.

A photographer, frail and thin, stood up to him. No one in their right mind would dare even approach Asami without an appointment or scheduled meeting.

Perhaps, the photographer wasn't in his right mind then.

It wasn't every day that Asami met someone who wasn't in their right mind.

Needless to say, he had ridden his _own_ mind of any doubt regarding his decision.

This free spirit, this arrogant spirit, would be his and his alone.

He smirked at the boy's idiocy.

There was only one hospital in the direction that the boy darted away in. He'd find him, even if it meant waiting outside of that building for days on end, he'd find him.

However, if they drove to the building now, perhaps they could catch him.

He was fast, yes, but not as fast as a speeding car.

Asami wasn't afraid, nor ashamed to admit it. In the short time he'd encountered the eccentric photographer, he'd become obsessed with him.

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**I freaking swear, my Algebra teacher just loves to hand out assignments with only odd numbers. ODD NUMBERS CANNOT BE DIVIDED EVENLY, thus fractions are born, and then long-ass multiplication that takes up an entire page, and i'm only on question two. And decimals! Oh, why should I even say the cursed name? That word is a curse word on our class room, we just can't use decimals! **

**And calculator...what calculator? Ho no, uh-uh, this assignment is to be done by mind only, MIND ONLY!...I just can't stand Algebra, or physics... and AP English? What the hell was I thinking, I must've been on some real happy juice. And AP US History, don't even get me started on _that_. I CRASHED AND BURNED on my AP World History exam...anyway, just a small, sad rant. Fanfiction helps me all the time, I guess it's an escape from the stress I deal with. With that being said, this is menial compared to other problems others deal with, so to the trolls, consider that when you piss on someone's story. **

**Unless you can offer helpful information, than shut up and ignore it. Some people need fanfiction more than I do, some people need the mental escape, and spamming their stories denies them of whatever serenity it provides them. **

**Sigh...i hope you enjoyed that chapter. I'll put more about Asami and Akihito's current situation in the next chapter..please review, tell me what you think. Have a nice week, and God bless!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for all the reviews on the first chapter, i'm glad you liked it. Hopefully, this chapter starts making a lot more sense, especially with the story line. Sorry for any grammar mistakes, and please take not of them. I beta'd this myself, so things may be messed up. I know I said i'd do Entertaining Angels, but that's become a little hard to write at the moment, and i'm working on a new story as well. But i'll get it posted, as well as the new chapter of Mission Trip. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Finder Series. **

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"He was just the rudest man I'd ever met_Ouch!" Takaba yelped as his doctor attempted to put his pinkie finger back in place, yet he did so to no avail.

"Than perhaps," the doctor began, "if you stayed inside, like you are supposed to, you'd refrain from meeting rude men like the very one you're describing for me right now. Not only that, you'd spare yourself of broken pinkie fingers."  
"Broken? It's not sprained? Damn it, I need that for my camera_Ouch! Would you stop that?" he shouted, as his doctor put the finger in a small brace.

"If I don't do this, then you won't be taking pictures! Similar to you current situation, is it not? If you stop escaping, then you'll stop meeting rude men, then you'll stop breaking your pinkie finger_See, it's a chain reaction! It works like a charm!"

"You're not being funny, Dmitri. And if we wanna talk about something funny, they haven't bugged you for your hair yet, I thought you were supposed to have a dress code that prevented you from looking like a wild animal," Takaba teased as he poked fun at his doctor, "Not even mom liked your hair like that."

And truly, Dmitri looked nothing short of an animal, with his large curly locks, and wavy blond beard. It was a rarity to see his sparkling blue eyes, as they were obscured by both his glasses and a mass of golden bangs.

It was a feat, though, despite it's outlandishness, that Takaba appreciated of his doctor. This man, over the years, had grown so casual with him, that he didn't even bother to shave his wild beard.

"You're mother has never, and will never like my hair," he began, "it bothers her greatly, I can see it in her eyes!"

Takaba chuckled at the relocation of his mother's attitude towards his personal doctor's appearance. She never had to speak to say she disliked something, she just had to look.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Takaba's bubbly attitude suddenly dampened, "Since I saw mom and dad...it feels like it's been forever."

"They're busy, you know," Dmitri explained rather sadly, "to keep you in one of Japan's best hospitals isnt' cheap, you know."

"I know, I know...but they could have at least visited on my past birthdays, or Christmas, or Easter, or even Halloween. You know, it doesn't even have to be a holiday...just a random day in the week, and i'd be happy," he admitted, slightly deflated, "I miss them, you know. They were so close that one time...and then the car broke down, and they had to turn around. But since then, I haven't had contact with them...are they angry at me for being sick, Dmitri? Do you think that's why they're not talking to me?"  
Dmitri looked slightly appalled at the statement, and rushed to deter Takaba's suspicions quickly, "Of course not Akihito! They knew what health problems you had when they adopted you, they knew what they were getting themselves into! Don't feel like a burden, please don't!"

Takaba shrugged, "It's hard not to, though...especially when i'm the only sick kid they adopted...why'd they adopt me anyway? If they knew i'd be sick all the time?"

"They wanted you to have a chance," Dmitri assumed, "they saw innocence within you, I suppose? They saw love?"  
"So many answers, yet no one to answer me!" Takaba fell back into his bed with a pout, "but when they come, i'll ask them, right? Ask them why they adopted me?"

"Go for it, Aki," Dmitri supported, "we wouldn't have it any other way."

"And i''ll show them my pictures too!" he sat up happily, "they really like those! In the cards they send, they're always asking me to send more!"

"Can I see them" Dmitri asked, as he advanced near Takaba, "your pictures?"

"Oh yeah," he moved to his pillow, and removed the camera from under it, "here it is."

Being the man who bought Takaba the camera in the first place, Dmitri was no stranger to it's workings, and turned it on within seconds.

His eyes sparked as he flipped through the scenery that the young photographer had so skillfully captured, "These are really good," he turned to look towards Takaba, flashing him a smile, "I like the ones that you just took though, with the ice. Reminds me of Russia."  
"You'll take me one day?" Takaba asked, "you make it sound like it's a fun place, and i've never really been out of Tokyo...i'd really love to go to Russia."  
"Get better, and I promise i'll take you," Dmitri replied.

"Isn't that all in you guises' hands?" Takaba inclined, "I mean, you are my doctors."

"Ahh, but Akihito, the greatest strength in a patient comes from here," he smiled, pointing a finger at Takaba's heart, "It is _you_ and you alone who chooses whether you live or die, consider us your "cheerleaders" Aki, we help you get there, but truly, the journey is yours and yours alone."

"My life is in my hands," he whispered, clutching his chest, "my life is in my hands."  
"Correct, child! And don't ever forget that," Dmitri handed the camera back to him, "you've got a trillion more pictures to take, a billion more smiles to make_Do not let death stop you!"

"I won't!" always, Dmitri lightened his mood, and reminded him that his disease did not make him who he was.

The Russian cast a quick glance at his wrist watch and sighed.

"Time to go?" Takaba said rather sadly, taking the camera back.

"I'm always busy, am I not?" Dmitri said, rather cheerfully, "I'll see you later."

Takaba waved at him, as he walked to the door and began to take his leave.

However, his sudden halt at the door frame caused the subtle atmosphere to stiffen, "Stay away from that man," Dmitri turned his head towards Takaba, and for once, he could see those piercing blue eyes that his doctor was rumored to have, "I don't trust him."

Takaba quickly nodded, and watched as Dmitri's seriousness melted away, "I'll bring you something sweet to eat later."

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"And what are you doing out of your room, again?" his attempt to sneak to the cafeteria had been cut short. as the head of the hospital caught him red handed.

With a force, the man pushed his swivel chair out of his office, and into the hallway. Takaba, who had been halfway out of the clearing, had been frozen in place, foot up and hands in the air, as if he was slowly creeping in an attempt to keep his presence scarce.

He resembled a character from Scooby Doo.

"I was actually going to the cafeteria..." for once, Takaba told the truth, "It'll be ages before Dmitri actually comes back with something edible...and I just can't wait that long, it'll only be a quick snack!"

The Head of the Hospital sighed, removed his glasses, and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "You're one of the main reasons that I've got gray hairs_you must wait two hours before you can eat anything after you've taken your medication, like i've said many times before!"  
Tabaka whined, and turned to face the man, "But my stomach! It's so tiny!"

"And, it's either bad stomach cramps or hunger," the Supervisor advised, "trust me, the latter is a much better predicament, and can be cured easily_very easily!"

"Please...i'm so hungry!" Takaba whined, "I'll get you your ice cream."  
At this, the Supervisor's green eyes lit slightly, "hmm..._ice cream_, you say? What kind?"  
"Any kind," Takaba quickly began, "Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, sherbert_"

"Ugh, no blueberry, and defiantly none of that fruity cream, sherbert! Damn the idiots that created that...i'll let you go, yes, I will, but be quick! The cooks do not fancy my constant consumption of their stash, so you'll need to be sneaky."  
"Sneaky I can do," Takaba smirked, "It'll just take a while."

He turned on his heels and began to speed walk, before the man changed his mind.

"No sherbert!" he called out, "and I want strawberry, strawberry sandwiches!"

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"-and he didn't give up a thing for lent, I tell you! I saw him, he ate meat every single Friday," Takaba tried to sneak into the cafeteria, but since his encounter with the Supervisor, his streak had been a losing one.

The small group of darkly dressed individuals, who sat on the nearest table, near the kitchen window, all turned towards him.

"Akihito, they've found you," from his seat on the table, the young priest hopped of and trotted towards the patient, "It's been ages since you've been out and about. In all honesty, we were worried about you!"

"Yes, indeed we were," a soft voice called from behind the redheaded priest, "you should really alert at least someone of your dangerous endeavors."

"Emily, Mathew, i've told you before, I've got this!" he reassured the clergy duo, "I do this all the time."

Mathew snorted, "You've got this until you get hit by a car, kidnapped, or something else _completely _normal! Things happen, Aki, you tend to forget that!"

"What brings you here, anyway," Emily quickly budded in, thus avoiding any unnecessary confrontations, "Should you not be resting?"  
He shrugged, "I'm just picking up something quick to eat, like ice cream-"  
"No, no!" came another voice from the tables behind them, "Ice cream? Is it for Ryuisuke? I told him no, no more food! It's for the patients!"

Sunny came bobbling towards Takaba, her eyes angry and dress flapping as she marched towards them, "You would think a doctor would understand the importance of a healthy diet," red in the face, Sunny began, "Yet he eats the freezer clean of ice cream every week!"

"Just a little bit?" Takaba begged, blinking his large eyes, "A tiny bit for each of us?"

The dinging bell from the kitchen alerted them all, "Are we doing this or not, we need to have this food at the church in like, thirty minutes," came the German cook, another priest.  
IT hadn't occurred to Takaba that the clergy was actually doing something until he looked at the table behind them, which was topped with foods of all sorts.

"If you don't mind me asking," Takaba leaned in slightly, so he could see the array of foods, "What's the special occasion?"

"Ahh, we're providing Christmas dinner for the families who cannot afford anything to eat," Mathew chimed in, "nice, isn't it?"  
"But Christmas was like...a month ago," Takaba replied, "aren't you a little late."  
"Our Christmas last slightly longer than one thinks,"Emily supplied, as she led Takaba towards the table, "and it's the spirit that matters most of all, am I correct?"

Takaba shrugged, and dipped a finger in a bowl of steaming gravy.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, bringing the injured limb to his mouth and sucking it.

"Oh dear, there goes another finger," Mathew joked, taking notice of the injured pinkie , "Looks like Karma has once again predicted the future!"

"Ha ha, very funny," Takaba laughed sarcastically, "I'll have you know, I received this_ "_award" for standing up for myself, thank you very much!"  
"Oh do tell us, what happened," Emily exclaimed, nearing Takaba, "did you get in a fight?"

"With bandits?" Sunny added, her chubby cheeks igniting with blush, "was it an adventure?"

"_Maybe_," he drew out, "But since I deserved it Mathew, I should keep it to myself."

Matthew grunted, "Fine," he said calmly, "a secret for a secret then."  
"Psh, what secrets do you guys have," Takaba retorted, "that the Vatican has a time Machine?"

"Shh, no one needs to know about that," Emily said quietly, "But we _do have _a secret, a secret that will enrage Ryuisuke...if he finds out."

_A secret, that would enrage Ryuisuke?_ Takaba wanted in.

"Fine, i'll tell you what happened to me and my finger...but sit, sit, it's a long tale...So, basically..."  
**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

"And I broke my finger," he finished proudly, displaying his broken trophy.

Mathew snorted, "Ha, that's what scum like him gets, bloody idiot!"

"Mathew," Emily warned, "we're supposed to love our enemies, not curse them to the high winds," she reminded.

Mathew sighed, "That's why I'm a priest honey, to break from my bad habits, and speaking of mine, where's yours?"

"Ahh...our secret...got it dirty!" she stood up, and grabbed Takaba's arm, "come, come, to the kitchen, you'll see him!"

"But tell anyone else, and your dead," Mathew warned, as he followed the group.

The kitchen was the same as always. Metal innards, clean surfaces, and a latex smelling aroma made the cooking area that the clergy migrated to so frequently.

However, this time, a small cardboard box lay in the corner.

"There he is," Sunny said happily, pointing a rounded finger at the box, "Isn't he cute."

"Ugh, I don't-"

"Father found him a week ago, and tried to keep him in the orphanage," Emily began, "The Mother Superior found out, and had him throw him away...but the Father is a kind hearted man, grew up on a farm, so now he's become our problem, yes he has."

"A box...has become your problem?" Takaba asked, rather confused.

"Not the box, you idiot," Mathew hit Takaba on the back of the head, "it's what's inside of the box."

"What's inside-"

As if on cue, a small ball of gray fur lifted the cardboard box up, and roughly threw it over it's head. With a wagging tail, and little beady eyes, the puppy made it's way towards the group.

"Guys...a dog...Ryuisuke...he hates dogs, he's the supervisor!" Takaba exclaimed, "give him to a pound before he gets into trouble!"

"So they can kill him," Emily picked up the small bundle, "We Catholics don't believe in death, even for small animals!"

"Technically, Emily, animals don't have souls, so we don't care. God only ga-"  
"God gave them souls Mathew, and you know it!" Sunny shouted, "Just look at his eyes!"  
"Girls, animals do not have souls, they just don't!" Mathew began, "If they did, they would have free will, they would praise the Lord, they would-"  
"Not put up with idiots like you," Emily countered, "my old kitten had a soul, I swear he did, in fact, every mating season, he would..."

In the midst of their argument, Takaba took it upon himself to sneak away to the freezer, and grab a handful of strawberry ice cream sandwiches, as well as something chocolatey for himself.

He ducked past the crowed of arguing radicals, and quickly ran out of the kitchen.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

"You're so good at this, you should do it more often," Ryuisuke praised the patient, as he took another bite of his sandwich, "I'll start paying you."

Takaba bit into his frozen custard, "Don't worry, I enjoy the thrill for free."

The older man nodded, and ran a hand through his dulling hair, "How are you feeling, Akihito, in general?"

He hesitated for a moment.  
"The pain is dull," he answered, "Like always, nothing I can't handle."

The doctor nodded, and pressed on.

"No shortness of breath, migraines, or anything like that...what about black outs?" he asked, all too quickly, startling the photographer.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"Geez, don't frighten him, Ryuisuke," Dmitri poked his head in the door, "give him a chance to breath."

Ryuisuke sighed, and leaned back in his chair, "Just asking, just curious...nothing has changed? You feel okay?"  
"Yeah...is something the matter, are things getting worse?" Takaba asked, a hint of fear in his tone, "I'm okay, right?"  
The doctors exchanged an unreadable look, then returned to Takaba.

"Yes, Akihito," Dmitri reassured him, "everything is fine."

Ryuisuke offered a hopeful nod...but Takaba knew more than anything that doctors were good actors.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

That night, Dmitri had given him a different kind of medication, and like always, told him nothing of the reason as to why he was switching medicine. In less than thirty minutes, Takaba fell into a medically induced sleep, and his mind began to flutter to better times, like a vibrant butterfly gliding to it's long lost family.

He'd re-imagined his mother and father's appearances.

He saw the tall built figure, the blazing red hair, and the kind gray eyes that his father adorned so well. And standing beside the figure was his mother. Her curly hair swayed in the wind, brushing into her dark face, once again obscuring the tears that fell down her cheeks.

"What's wrong, mommy, why are you crying?" he was always a child in these dreams, always small and feeble, "did I do something wrong?"

She would shake her head like always, bend down, and kiss him. He'd close his eyes as she did so, because seconds later, his father would do the same, then pick him up and hold him close to his chest.

And seconds later, the sound of screeching tires, and shattering glass would break into the calmness of his dream, instantly causing his eyes to open.

His father's face, was gone, skinned off, as pieces of glass stuck out of corners and creases of the the bloody skull. Pieces of muscle loosely clung to the face, and his left eyeball bounced up and down like a yo-yo.

His glasses were crushed into the muscle, bloodied up like the rest of his face.

His mother was nothing short of gruesome, though she'd retained at least a little of her beauty. The side of her face had been singed, burned off, the skin pealed and scraped in a most disgusting manner, and her hair was clumped with dirt and blood.

"What happened?!" he yelled, "Mommy! Daddy! Why do you look like that?!"

And from their dismembered faces, they would tear up, allowing the liquid to fall down their mangled cheeks.

They would cry, and cry, and cry until finally, Akihito could take no more of it.

He woke up, screaming and crying, desperately searching for his camera.

After seconds of fiddling through the darkness, he found it and turned it on. Quickly, he'd go to the beginning of the camera roll, flipping through age old photos of his family.

Of his parents, who were not dismembered, who were beautiful and healthy, who were alive.

Sighing, he replayed some videos under the comfort of his sheets, and giggled at the sound of their voices.

That night, he prayed for the first time in a long time

He prayed that his family was safe, that his parents would come and visit him once again, and that he'd finally be free of the hospital...he prayed.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

_He looks different, _Asami mentally noted, as he looked at the young photographer snap shots of various plants around the park, _almost drained. _

His body language was lagging, his posture slumped, and his head, downcast. Though he snapped his photos, he seemed to harbor little to no passion in the action, and Asami wondered if it was due to his broken finger.

After the amount of alcohol Asami had consumed the night before, he was grateful that had not woken up with a hangover, and was able to make his way to the park. He considered drinking with a partner, as his position and power granted him company of any kind, at any time, but he had decided against it.

Instead, he drank alone, drank and drank until he collapsed on his bed and thought, thought about life.

As far as finances went, his stocks were soaring, and as usual, he was in charge of the Underworld.

His personal life, however, was a different story.

Just a week ago, he'd woken up with someone else, naked and sticky. Like always, he took the term "one night stand" to heart, and for the sake of the other party that had gladly bottomed Asami, they took the term to heart as well.

Asami had been losing himself as of recent. That little slip up was one of many.

What the hell was he seeking, what the hell did he want?

He got passion and lust of his choosing, but was that all?

Obviously, the pit in his stomach decided against that. Maybe he wanted commitment, maybe he wanted love?

He scoffed at the word, the poisonous word. He'd given his _love _to someone years ago, and his heart had been torn to shreds...literally.

He clenched his fist at the memories of the torture, the pain and the humiliation that not even revenge could suffice.

What his _lover _did to him had destroyed him, and it took ages to build himself back up.

So no, he wasn't looking for love, just entertainment, and this photographer was sure provided just that.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

The morning after his nightmare, Takaba had decided to skip breakfast and head straight to the park. He didn't feel like walking around in hospital clothing, so he took whatever clothes he could find in his closet, showered, and put them on. He brushed his teeth, as usual, and for the first time in forever, brushed his messy hair.

After looking at himself in the mirror, he held back a snort. He look absolutely hideous, like something in a late nit sitcom.

But it was either these tacky clothes, or the hospital clothes. Both made him look insane, however, the ugly clothes gave him the appearance of a fashionably confused individual, and in Japan, there were many.

He paled when he looked at his camera. The roll was still on an image of his parents, both smiling and waving at the camera.

He engraved the photo of his head, as he wanted to remember them like that, happy and alive.

Morning was one of the most busiest times in the hospital, so it was easy to bypass the crowd of doctors, nurses, and clergy that buzzed around the hospital.

He forgot to take his medication.

**oooooooooooooooooo**

Once at the park, he began his usual routine. He found a nice looking plant, and snapped a photo or two, and moved on.

However, the conversation between the Supervisor and Dmitri had dampened his mood, not to mention that hellish reoccurring nightmare that he had of his parents.

The cool wind blew and put him at some ease, but not enough to lift his spirit up to its highest potential.

If he was going to die, why not tell him? Why hide something like that from him? And screw his parents for having a say in his life, yet refusing to visit him for the past few years. His life belonged to him, his life was in his hands!

He groaned, and plopped down on the bench, closing his eyes and letting the breeze gently assault him.

So far was he in his relaxation, that he didn't even notice the man that had walked towards him.

"You're defiantly not looking your usual self," said a familiar voice, which stood directly in front of him.

Quickly, his eyes fluttered open, revealing a very shocked expression, "You! You're the rude guy from earlier!"

Takaba jumped up, in an attempt to put some distance between he and the golden eyed man, "What do you want from me?!"

The older man smirked, his eyes lighting up as he did so, "Simple. I want you."

The wind blew once more, blowing through the trees and through the dead grass. The older man reached into the breast pocket if his expensive suit, and removed a pack of cigarettes.

"Me...like, for a job?" Takaba inquired, "Or like...i'm confused."

Asami raised an eyebrow at the sudden statement.

"You're misunderstanding me..."  
"Akihito, Takaba Akihito, any name is fine," he supplied, "do you want me to take pictures for you?! I'm really good, and i'm sorry about the whole accident yesterday, even though you had it coming, but yeah, i'd like to work for you!"

He wasn't prepared to be cut off, nor to be apologized to so quickly.

Asami was speechless at the enigma before him...never in his life had he encountered such a bubbly spirit.

Asami sighed, this isn't where he wanted things to go, not at all. But maybe this wasn't so bad, maybe a person to talk to once in a while never hurt.

"Let's take a walk," Asami began, motioning for the boy to follow him, "around this park. You know it will, I assume, so i'll kindly let you lead the way."

Takaba nodded and jumped beside him, "Well follow me...by the way, what's your name? Is it goldie?"

Asami didn't appreciate the pun at his eye color, though it amazed him most that this child had no idea who he was...meaning, he had no idea of his reputation.

Perhaps it was for the best?

"A...Asami," he stated bluntly as they begin their slow stride.

"Asami what?" he pressed on, "Did your parents forget to give you another name?"

"No, it's just an ugly first name," Asami retorted, "you don't need to know."

"My birth name is Steiner Frost, and you think your name is ugly," Takaba giggled, "I'm sure it's not as bad as mine."

Asami inclined his head, "Birth name, you're adopted?"

"Yeah-Hey, I won't tell you anything else about me until you tell me your first name, that's how it is," he said proudly, "Now tell me, what Is it?"

Asami sighed, and fought the smile that began to creep on his features.

_It's been ages since i've smiled..._he thought to himself.

"Fine, fine," he started, "I'll play along. A fact for a fact, right?"

Takaba nodded, "Right."

"My full name is Asamy Ryuichi, now my turn," he started, "where are you from?"

Takaba smiled, "Germany, that's where I was born. Now my turn," he closed his eyes and racked his mind for a good question, a well thought out one, "Ahh...you're rich! What do you work as? Are you like, a celebrity?"

Asami smirked, "I'm a businessman," he replied truthfully, "since you must know."

"Like...what's that? What do you "business"? Takaba asked, "a fast food restaurant?"  
"Does it look like this," he motioned towards his clothes, "would manage a fast food restaurant?"

Takaba shrugged, "I've heard that those beggars sometimes go home to like, large scale mansions and like to chew money out of the normal people like us...are you-"

"No, I am not a beggar," Asami said sternly, "though I donate to charity once a month."  
"Awesome! That's cool, so you're not as stuck up as I though you were...why were you so angry, anyway?" Takaba began, "bad day at work."

"None of your business," he replied, sternly enough for Takaba to back off.

Silence ensued after that, but not for long, Takaba was too curious about his counterpart.

"Don't you know smoking is bad?" he started again, "in fact, I know a guy, who knows this guy, who had a friend, whose friend's aunt..."

And so, the awkward relationship began.

**And so It begins! I hope you liked the chapter. As usual, i'm borrowing some of my sister's OC's, the most noticeable one being Ryuisuke, and later on tonight, she'll be borrowing from my stash, when she used Dmitri, who, by the way, represents many of my friends with their refusal to cut of their beards, or tame their hair. I think this was a little too fast paced, but i'll slow it down later. I know a lot of you were probably expecting hot sex with Takaba and Asami, and if I disappointed you, i'm sorry, but i'm trying to explore their relationship differently. The animals and soul debate is one that I swear, occurs every single time in my theology class. I believe animals have souls...when Mathew asks Emily where her habit is, he's talking about her Nun's habit, specifically referring to the veil nuns wear. Mather and Sunny belong to Yamiga, while the German cook, and Emily belong to me. **

**The last scene is what inspired this story to begin with, like I mentioned earlier, just walking around my schools track gave me this idea. Sometimes it helps just to talk, no matter what you're going through, thus, I was inspired. Things will get deeper in the next chapter, so be prepared for emotions to be flipped...please review, tell me what you think about anything, tell me what you liked and disliked. Anyway, have a wonderful week, and God bless! **


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Sorry, so sorry! I really needed to update this, and it's so sad, because I had a plot going on, and I forgot it after while, and it's slowly starting to come back to me. This chapter, I kinda just edged into the story, and hopefully it will make sense later. I listen to you guys, I really do. And when I don't update, and when you tell me to update, I'm _very very _sorry. I really am. I know that literature in general serves as an escape for many of you, because that's what it is for me. When I'm going through tough times in life, I turn to reading to escape. So again, thank you for reading my story, and thank you for putting up with my irregular schedule. And I'm really, really sorry. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Finder Series. **

It wasn't until the question, "Where do you live," came up, that Takaba began to stretch the truth just slightly. The first actual "friend" he'd met in ages would certainly turn away from him if he'd learned that Takaba practically lived in a hospital, and he wasn't willing to sever this bond just yet.

"It's taking you an awfully long time to recall your living quarters," spoke Asami, "Do you live in an apartment? You don't look like you've been out on your own for too long."

Takaba decided to ignore the insult.  
"Yeah, it's kinda small, by the hospital," he began, "its nice...where do you live?"

Asami shrugged, and looked up at the sky, "I live in the city," he responded, monotonously, "I work there as well."

"Fun job?" Takaba added.

Asami shrugged again, "It depends on the day."

Takaba nodded in understanding, "Same with me."

Asami didn't bother to question Takaba's profession, as he assumed that whatever it was remained strictly around photography, though he had an inkling that this boy wasn't telling him everything he wanted to know, that he was withholding certain information.

The wind blew through the park, and Asami looked down at Takaba, who had a thin green jacket on. The jacket was ugly, along with most of his outfit.

The clothes were outdated, and the colors were faded.

"Aren't you cold?" Asami asked, wondering where his sudden consideration came from, "your job doesn't supply you with the proper income to afford proper clothing?"  
Takaba blushed at the comment, "I don't mind them," _they're all I have,"_they get the job done, right? I don't need a million yen clothing like you do_Hey, about that job, what did you want me to do? Do I need to be interviewed?"

Asami paused and revisited his initial intention, "Ahh, _that" _he smirked, "Are you really interested?"  
Takaba's eyes widened like saucers, "If it has to do with photography, than hell yeah I'm interested, its what I'm best at!"

Asami stopped, and looked the photographer up and down.

"You should be better about how you dress," the older man began, "In business, appearance is a necessity."

Takaba looked at his ugly clothing, and felt his face heat up.

Asami sighed, "Do you need me to by your clothing?"

"I don't want to be a both-"  
"Do you need more clothing? Your living conditions are none my concern, but the way in which you represent me as my photograph, that is my business. So do you need clothing?"

The boy looked away, and nodded.

"Then let's go now," Asami said, "while I have nothing to do." He turned swiftly on his heels, leaving the photograph in his wake.

Takaba stood there shocked, slightly confused at the man's generosity.

"Are you coming, or not?" Asami looked back for a short while, and then resumed his stride, "I refuse to have any of my employees wearing outdated, oversized clothing."

Takaba gasped at the insult, "It's not like everyone can buy a clothing store like you can!"

Asami spoke, "I never said I could, though I can. But that's not the point. I'm just trying to be polite."  
_Idiot! You're being rude, this man is offering to buy you clothes! When was the last time you went shopping?! Apologize before he drops you!_

"S-sorry!" the photographer shuddered quickly, as he caught up to the older man, "I'm just tired."

"And that's an excuse for your attitude," responded the older man, slightly agitated.

The younger man averted his gaze, and looked at his feet.

He hated humbling himself, but Asami didn't deserve his scorn.

"Sorry," he whispered, "I can go if you want me to."

The older man raised an eyebrow at the action, and was slightly impressed.

"No," spoke the older man, "I want you to stay with me."

"You want me to stay with you?" sheepishly, the photographer looked back at the older man, "So I'm not fired?"

"You haven't even been officially hired yet," replied the older man.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dmitri pulled on the golden coils of his hair, and was surprised that he hadn't pulled them all out in his current state.

The boy was gone, that damn brat was gone! He hadn't even taken his medicine! How much longer did he have before his body succumbed to pain? How long would it be before his energy was zapped completely?

He raked a gloved hand through his hair, and stalked the long white hallways, tossing a, "Have you seen Akihito," into the air, here and there.

The answers were almost all the same.

"Nope, not since last night."

"Thought he was in his room."

"Whose Takaba Akihito?"

Akihito, the incredibly sick, apparently suicidal patient, was very dear to Dmitri, and though the child obviously threw his own caution to the wind, Dmitri had promised the boy's late parent's that he'd keep him alive as long as possible.

The father, Dmitri could care less about. He was never fond of Mr. Takaba. His bright red hair, his sly smirk and crude remarks had always pissed Dmitri off. He was an asshole.

Mrs. Lana Takaba, on the other hand, Dmitri felt his heart sink into the ground the moment her pink coffin was buried six feet under the soil.

God forbid Akihito discover that his parents had died. And Heaven help Dmitri of the young man attempted to contact them, and instead came into contact with business partners or friends.

He shuddered at the mere thought. Akihito was already broken, the treatment was killing him faster than his disease was, and with his supportive pare...mother out of the way, he'd lose his will to fight.

The Russian sighed and paced around the brightly lit hallway, occasionally checking Akihito's room to see if the younger man had returned.

The room was as vacant as it had been when Dmitri arrived that morning. The covers were slightly tousled, the closet door was left ajar, and the restroom door was wide open.

As usual, his camera was gone.

Dmitri sat on the bed, and sighed. He needed to calm his nerves and think. Where would the kid go?

Takaba loved photography, and when he escaped, he usually took to the park near the hospital. Only the past times that the boy had left, he'd usually taken his medicine before hand. Not to mention, he was starting the boy on a different medication...

He fell back on the narrow bed, pulled the fluffy pillow atop of his face, screamed like a toddler, and kicked his legs like an angry child.

He had an easier time working at the insane asylum in Russia.

A knock on the door-frame saw the end to his temper tantrum.

"Uh...Dmitri-"  
"What is it Ryuisuke?" Snapped the Russian as he peaked through the pillow.

The Japanese man gulped as he soaked in the pathetic scene. "Are you okay? We heard you screaming."  
Dmitri slowly remove the fluffy pillow from atop of his head, sat up on the small bed, and looked at the accumulating crowd standing behind the supervisor.

The clergy had scuffled into the mix, followed by a sprinkle of nurses, patients, and other concerned doctors.

"Did you...you know...take something?" The Russian raised an eyebrow at the assumption, "I mean on accident! Accident, not on purpose, never on purpose."

The crowd echoed with the coined phrase from the doctor, as they tried to assure Dmitri that they did not think that he was a drug addict.

"Maybe he's had too much Vodka?" A young patient supplied.

"Not all Russians drink Vodka," The blond debunked the common stereotype, as he stood and brushed himself off.

He turned towards the crowd. "You needn't worry," he spoke, somewhat calmer than before, "I'm fine. Just splendid."

Ryuisuke nodded, and adjusted his glasses, "Then where's-"  
"I'm going to find him," Dmitri cut in, "Don't worry about it."  
Ryuisuke nodded, "Just be...careful?"  
The blond doctor grunted, "Thanks for the consideration."

"No problem," replied the Japanese man, "Just be back soon, and take his medication with you while you're looking for him."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Times had changed. Trends were new. Fashions were gone, and replaced with futuristic, skimpier clothing.

They were flashy, gaudy and revealing. They had moved on, they had evolved.

Takaba had stayed the same for years.

Even the inside of Asami's car had looked like a spaceship, and Takaba couldn't help himself. He explored every bit of it, crawled all around the leathers seats, pushed on light buttons, and twisted the radio nob. In the process, he received a very ugly look from the driver.

Asami could only smirk.

And now, inside of the clothing store, the photographer looked at the fabric, and the garments like gold, like something he'd never seen before, but dreamed of.

His eyes were wide, and glittering, his mouth was slightly agape, as if he was speechless.

"Don't know what to choose from?" Came Asami from behind Takaba.

The boy shook his head, "It's been...how long...?"

At that, Asami could tell that Akihito was no longer speaking to him, but perhaps someone in the back of his mind, or referring to a distant memory.

Asami felt the urge to know Akihito a little bit more than he already had. He wanted to know the kid like the back of his hand, to read him like a open book, and to get to experience this personality that he had never once in his life encountered.

This soul was frozen in time.

Just then, two store clerks came from the isles, running quickly to greet Asami.

"Hello Asami-sama," greeted a young girl, whose face was plastered with make up. Akihito shuddered, she looked like a clown. However, she did hold an air of authority to her, and her clothes weren't old and ugly, like Takaba's.

"Do you need to be re-sized?" Questioned the older woman, who walked behind Asami with a string of measuring tape, "Or are you looking to purchase something new?"

Asami looked towards Takaba, who had gone unnoticed by the two women until now. Their eyes widened slightly, though in Asami's presence, they learned to tame their emotions. Anyone who paraded around Asami was somebody, despite their outward appearance.

This child was a regurgitated piece of garbage, and his clothes certainly showed it. Not to mention, he looked sick.

"_Him ?" _the younger girl shrieked. Asami's glare silenced her instantly, and she sheepishly looked at her feet.  
"I can always find a new clothing store to-"  
"That won't be necessary Asami-sama," the older woman spoke up, casting an ugly scowl at her partner, "we'll be happy to dress this young man."

"If you don't want to dress me, then i'll leave," Takaba said gruffly, as he made way to turn around.

Akane, the older store clerk, went rigid as the young man began to make his leave. Asami was one of her highest paying customers, her store gained it's reputation because of him!

And her assistant had so rudely addressed his partner! If that boy walked out of her doors, so did her fame and recognition.

"_Young man!" _she called sharply, quickly brushing past her employee, and catching the younger by the back of the shirt, "Like I said, we'd be _happy _to find the right clothing for you, just _ecstatic_.You won't find service like ours anywhere else in Japan. Trust me."

Takaba gulped, and looked at the woman. She was desperate, he could tell by the look in her eyes. Her entire fortune rested on his shoulders, he supposed. Walking out meant Asami walking out behind him, and he assumed that her business would crumble when that happened.

For the first time in ages, he was in control. He looked past her, towards her younger employee, whose face was red with embarrassment, and could feel Asami's eyes on his back.

The older man was waiting for him to make a decision.

He sighed. These people really didn't deserve his service.

"Okay," he sounded slightly deflated, "I'll be happy to shop here."

Akane's eyes lit up. She didn't believe it!

"Well, get to it then," Asami began.

"I-I_Yes! Let's get to it!" She grabbed Akihito by the arm, and made way to take him to the back.

She would dress this boy like a prince!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The air was cold and crisps, prickling against Dmitri's face, blowing his hair into his watery eyes. He wrapped his arms around his shivering figure, and pulled his white coat tighter around his body. He felt like an ice cube.

Damn that brat for dragging him all the way into the open, and not even considering the freezing temperature.

Behind him, Ryuisuke kicked at the grass, and the pebbles across the ground. Dmitri had dragged him along when he remembered that he could not speak Japanese.

The younger man had conversed with the scarce park individuals, asking them if they'd seen a sickly boy with a large camera.

A few people had spotted him, and to Dmitri's dismay, had seen him leave the park with another man.

Takaba was naive, and Dmitri could only imagine the kind of person he drove away with. The man was probably covered in tattoos, probably had gold teeth too.

Either way, Akihito probably wouldn't see anything wrong with him.

The civilians had managed to supply them with a general direction, but other than that, the two doctors were on their own.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOA pile of clothes lay discarded on the ground, and Akane came from the back, with another stack of garments in her arms. Nothing seemed to fit the photographer's liking. Not to mention, the poor boy was as thin as a twig.

No wonder Asami was buying him clothing, he probably didn't have enough money to buy his own. He couldn't even buy food for himself.

Speaking of Asami, the man had detached himself from the dressing photographer, and had gone around to look for clothing of his own.

He gave Kirishima the opportunity to scan the isles for something he may like, but the older man declined, and stayed by his boss's side.

"Too big," Akana muttered, as she tossed a shirt to the young girl standing beside her, "My my child, when was the last time you ate a full meal?"

"I uh-"  
"Do us all a favor, and beg Asami-sama to take you out for lunch," Akane smirked, "God knows you need it."

Takaba blushed, "I'm just an employee..."  
"Surely you must be more than that," Akana was appalled, "A family friend perhaps?"

Takaba shrugged as she placed another shirt in front of him, and sized him by sight. She'd done this long enough to know what the perfect fit looked like.

Another failure, and another shirt tossed to her hopeless assistant.

The room was stuffy as clothes made their way in and out of the room, and with the light shining above head, reflecting off of the mirrors, it was getting hot.

Takaba sighed, and rolled up his thick sleeves.

Akane didn't hide her shock this time. She gasped, and brought a hand to her mouth. The clothes fell to the ground.

His arms were pale, the veins were clear, and the skin was covered in tiny, purple injection marks.

He looked like a drug addict. That explained a lot. His thinness, his paleness...goodness, did Asami know? This kid was leeching off of Akane's highest paying customer, and she'd be damned if she allowed him to continue doing so.

Her assistant had vanished seconds ago, perhaps to go tell Asami of her findings.

She inhaled sharply, walked over to the boy, and grabbed his wrists.

Holding them up to his face, she glared.

"So you do drugs, _hmm?" _she hissed, shaking the thin arm to emphasize her point.

At that moment, something in the boy's demeanor changed. His eyes widened in terror as he looked at his arm, and suddenly, they began shaking.

"I-it's that b-bad?" The boy shuddered, as he looked at his arm like it was some sort of insect.

"Drugs are-" She grabbed his hand so quickly, that she hadn't had the time to realize what exactly had fallen into her grasp. Around his wrist, was a bracelet of some sort. She released her grip quickly, and looked at the light blue band that slid down his arm.

_Patient Name: Takaba Akihito_

_Date of induction: 1999-2014_

_Hospital/Institution: Cry of Hope Co. _

_MD: Dmitri Arbatov (contact information on the back)_

For a minute, the two stared at one another, completely unsure of what to say. Akane's head swarmed with questions. He'd been in the hospital since 1999? That certainly explained the bruises on his arms.

"Please don't tell Asami! I'll lose my chance at getting a job!" he pleaded suddenly, "And I'm not contagious, I swear! I just need to do something before I..."  
The sentence rolled mute off of his tongue, and the unspoken phrase fluttered into the air. He looked down at his arm, that had now fallen to his side.

Asami wasn't going to hire an ailing man, his dream job was going-

Akane grabbed at his sleeves and pulled the fabric down, covering the small spots on his arm. Next she went for the bracelet, tore it off of his wrist, removed the small paper, and with the dark pen she always kept handy in her pocket, changed the date 2014 to 2000, by circling around the numbers. She spend a little more time on the back.

It was ugly, and unprofessional.

Just like a doctor's hand writing.

Putting the pen back in her pocket, she maneuvered the piece of paper back into the plastic, and stuffed the crumpled bracelet into Takaba's back pocket.

He stood there, shocked.

"I did my part, now you do yours," she hissed, as her assistance came in with Asami hot on her trail.

He removed the bracelet from his pocket, and looked at it's altercation. Asami didn't look pleased at the information he'd just learned, and had brushed past Akane.

Like the older woman had done before him, Asami roughly raised Akihito's sleeve.

His expression stayed the same.

"Do you have a reason as to why your arms are covered with injection marks?" The older man glared at him.

Takaba gulped, and quickly handed him the bracelet.

He took it, and looked over it. He seemed to be oblivious to its changes.

"What happened?" Questioned the older man, monotonously. Takaba gulped, and searched for something to say.

"Akih-"

"I got sick with the flu, and I had to stay there for a while. My doctors were so nice, that I decided to wear the bracelet everywhere I went," he lied.

"Then why is it off now?"

"Because I cut it off, Asami-sama," Akane chimed in, looking at the older man, "I was in a rush to fit this young man, and I so carelessly maimed him of his bracelet. I'm incredibly sorry."

Takaba couldn't bite back his smile, "Its alright, I need to let go of the past anyway."

Asami nodded, and handed him the bracelet. Despite Takaba's negligence of the plastic seconds ago, he greedily took it back from the older man, flipping it up and down in order to see if it was okay.

The new writing had extended even to the back, and Akane had left a promising message.

_Never give up on your dreams, Takaba-san. Only you can over come death! _

"What kind of doctor would write something like that to you?" Asami placed a hand under the boy's chin, and lifted his head, "A cruel doctor indeed, huh?"  
Takaba blushed at the close proximity, and looked away towards Akane.

He smiled, "Only a doctor who believes in me, Asami."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

**I apologize for any mistakes, I proofread this myself. **

**I know the ending was slightly cheesy, but I didn't know how else to end it. I took the hospital band from personal experience. When I was younger, I went to the hospital often, and I refuesed to take of my hospital bands. Unfortunately, I went to a Catholic school, which had a dress code. The next day, the nurse cut of my hospital band, I give it to my mom, and she lost it/threw it away. **

**You grow attached to things like that. And when you get a lot of injections, you get bruises on your arms, they're like little spots. Anyway, I hope you liked this, and again, I do hear you and i'm trying to update everything else. **

**The world is so devastated right now, so please do keep it in your thoughts and prayers. And if you all are feeling down in the dumps, and need someone to talk to. I'm willing to listen. As always, have nice week, and God bless!**


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